In the search for the perfect scone to complement jam, I tried this second recipe: Mary Hearty Bye's Scottish Scones. I chose it because of the buttermilk but upon reading the recipe closely, these scones are cooked in a cast iron skillet!
The dough preparation was very much like the other- cutting in the butter, and mixing in the buttermilk and egg. This dough took a bit of kneading and then a patting and cutting into wedges. And as for the cooking on the skillet...
Justin oiled the skillet and I followed the instructions at first: 3 min undisturbed on the first side (okay I checked a little bit). Then I flipped for 2-3 minutes, checking frequently to prevent burning. This is where it began to puff up!
And finally, some cooking and browning on the edges- sconehenge! The only trickiness is making sure they were done all the way through. I did cut one open out of most batches to be certain as the recipe recommended. After a batch or two, the skillet was retaining heat and I had to watch the scones more closely to make sure they didn't burn.
The results were absolutely wonderful. This texture was very different from the previous recipe. It was dense and cakey like a biscuit but it had a lovely complex flavor from the browning on all sides in the skillet- almost savory but not too sweet.
The following day, that flavor was even more pronounced and enjoyable. I think the toasty notes went particularly well with the June Taylor Summer Peach and Rose Geranium Conserve.
Imagine a perfect peach lightly kissed by rose and floral notes and you will have the luscious taste of summer in a jar. This conserve was elegantly delicious and paired particularly well with the toasty scone. June Taylor Jams, in Berkeley, CA, makes their jams using heirloom and forgotten fruits from small family farms. They hand-cut the fruit and cook small batches on the stove-top without pectin resulting in handcrafted, uniquely delicious jams. Check out their website for more information: www.junetaylorjams.com
